Father & Son
by shelaughs
Summary: A terrified Scorpius screams in the middle of the night. Draco must deal with the nightmares and the "monsters under the bed... and in the closet." Oneshot, post HP7.


I wasn't sure how to handle it.

Normally, Astoria would take care of things such as this. It was her job, after all. My memories of childhood nightmares all involved my mother, who would stumble into my room in only her nightgown, eyes wide and horrified, and I never quite understood why _she_ was scared. I was the one with the recurring nightmare, right? Yes, but she had certainly had her share of them, too.

But Astoria wasn't here, she was at some spa in the south of France. And so I was left to bear the troubled nightmares of my four-year-old son.

"_Daddy! Hurry! The monster is UNDER MY BED!_" Scorpius screamed again, and I picked up my sluggish pace.

Shoving open the large wooden door, I couldn't help but laugh at my only son. He had hauled himself out of the bed, presumably the one with the monster under it, and was now perched atop his wardrobe. His entire body was shaking like a leaf, his eyes wide and face pale, and I was suddenly reminded of the time my mother's cat had gotten stuck in the tree. My father had tried to talk it down, to no avail. At least, not until it had landed on his face with it's claws drawn.

I never saw the poor beast again.

Sighing, I stood in the doorway and stared at him, my laughter dieing. How was I supposed to get him down without getting my face clawed?

"Daddy," He whimpered, clutching the edges with his fingers.

"Oh, Scorpius. How did you get up there?"

There was a pause.

"The monster put me up here."

"He _put_ you up there?"

"Yes."

I was quiet, glancing around the room looking for some way to get him down. I didn't want to levitate him, that might frighten him more. It could, for all I knew, be a magic monster.

"Do you want to come down?"

"I don't know. Will you make the monster go away, first?"

Frowning, I stared up at him.

"Where is it?"

"In the closet."

"I thought you said he was under the bed."

"He moved."

Another exasperated sigh escaped me, as I proceeded to look in every nook and cranny of my sons room. As I went, I narrated the whole thing.

"He's not in closet, or under the bed. Not behind the portrait of your grandparents, either. The bathroom is clear, although you might want to get one fo the house elves to clean out your tub. Were you playing in the pond again? It's not under the rug, Scorpius, and it's not hiding in the wardrobe. The monster isn't in your sheets, or under your pillows, or even hiding behind the armchair. The chimney is clean... well, sort of. There, all finished. Can you come down _now_?"

"No monster?"

"None that I can see. Though I have come to the conclusion that your room is way to big for a 4 year old."

Scorpius grinned down at me, his tiny teeth gleaming.

"I can come down now."

He shoved his legs over the side, so that they dangle in front of my face. I smiled up, reassuringly as possible, and held my arms out. Grinning nervously, he lept from the wardrobe, and landed in my arms with a dull "humph."

"Would you like to go to bed now?"

He was silent for a minute, pondering his answer.

"On one condition."

I raised my eyebrows.

"And what would that be?"

"I get to sleep with Mr. Bear."

I stared at him, unsure of how to proceed. How did he know of Mr. Bear? He, and my mother, had cured my childhood nightmares. Right now, Mr. Bear was tucked away in a box at the back of my closet. I'd promised my parent's I'd never let it go.

Smiling softly, I nodded, and turned to find the bear. I returned minutes later with it tucked in the crook of my arm.

Scorpius reached up and took it from me, looking grateful.

"Why'd you name him Mr. Bear, daddy?"

"I wasn't a very creative child."

"Oh. I thought it was because he's a bear."

"That, too."

I smiled as Scorpius drifted off to sleep, mumbling a few last words under his breath.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, Son."

* * *

It's kind of cute, & I enjoyed writing it. I'm getting more into the father and son relationship between Draco & Scorpius, so I'd expect more, if I were you.

If you liked it, please review!


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